On our first day at Yellowstone we traveled on the southern loop. Our campground is near the western entrance, so this was a great option. It also includes Old Faithful, so it was the best option. We made that complete loop, but we will go back to visit a few places that we would like to return to.
The second day we headed to the North loop. This includes Mommoth Hot Springs, which are wondrous. It feels like you are on another planet. There is so much to see and do in this park, we are having an amazing time. The many waterfalls are beautiful. You just never know what you will see when you turn the corner, including buffalo, fox, bear and antelope.
We are having a great time here. Every time we turn a corner we see something that amazes us. The buffalos are not at all bothered by our presence.
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| Gibbon Falls |
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| Norris Geyser Basin |
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| Norris Geyser Basin |
Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
We have to make a trip back to see rest of the Canyon and upper falls
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| Lumbering along the roadway. |
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| Crystal Falls |
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| Yellowstone River |
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| Around every corner was a new sight, one minute a lush valley with waterfalls. The next corner would be pools of bubbling super heated acid or geysers. |
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Steamboat Geyser is the worlds tallest geyser
The next photos are from Norris Geyser Basin |
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| Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest and oldest of the geothermal areas. Molten magma is said to be 2 - 5 miles under the surface. |
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| Features in this area have frequent seismic activity almost daily, and it is said the features change daily also. |
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| In 2016 a tourist wanted to see how hot the acidic water was and leaned over towards a pool, stumbled and fell into it - he never surfaced and was dissolved almost instantly by the hot acidic liquid. |
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| With all the info on this areas volatility we had no problem obeying the rules about staying on the boardwalk |
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| Porcelain base of the Norris Geyser Basin is baron of trees and like a sauna |
Norris Geyser Basin is one of several Geyser Basins in the Park
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| I was told there are over 10,000 geothermal features in the park |
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| In places the surface is just a thin crust above the springs. We were told this tree may be over 1,000 years old. The geysers are much older. This view is stunning, kind of looks like another world. |
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| Mammoth Hot springs was probably the most amazing part of the park, with its colors and terraces. |
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| Thermophilic (heat loving) bacteria are the only living things that can exist in these super heated features and provide their color |
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| Mammoth Hot Springs limestone base allow all these amazing formations |
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| Travertine formations from the limestone almost look like a cave that is inside out. |
There are about 50 hot springs in the Mammoth area
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| The acidic solution as it bubbles up dissolves the limestone which creates these terraces as it cools |
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| Mammoth Hot Springs is at the Albright Center |
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To me, this was one of the most beautiful parts of Mammoth Hot Springs This was in the far corner of the basin the color is amazing.
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| Grazing near the front door of the visitor center. |
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| Couple photos of Virginia Cascades |
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| The buffalo all used the shoulder today, no traffic jams. |
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| Constantly on look out for wildlife |
